Tag: Nikola Jovic

Heat rookie Nikola Jovic returns to Miami to have back examined

Jovic has dealt with the injury throughout the season and aggravated it Saturday on assignment in the G League.

Miami Heat rookie Nikola Jovic has returned to South Florida to have his back examined after dealing with recent soreness, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel.

Jovic has dealt with the injury throughout the season and aggravated it Saturday on assignment in the NBA G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He recorded four points, three rebounds, two blocks and one assist in 25 minutes in a loss to the Ontario Clippers.

The Heat are in the midst of a five-game West Coast road trip. He has not suited up with the team on the trek and last played on Dec. 28 in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Jovic has made 15 appearances with the Heat, including eight starts, averaging 5.5 points and 2.1 rebounds. He made six straight starts in November with the team down several players and averaged 9.3 points, four rebounds and 1.5 assists in that stretch.

The 27th pick also spent time previously with the Skyforce. He is averaging seven points, seven rebounds and 3.7 assists in six games. He produced his best game in the G League on Dec. 12: 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Jovic has dealt with his injury for much of the season with it flaring up more recently. The team will certainly be cautious with him and not rush him back into action to risk further injury.

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Jabari Smith Jr., Keegan Murray among rookies to sign with Adidas

Jabari Smith Jr. and Keegan Murray were among 14 rookies to sign endorsement contracts with Adidas.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. and Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray were among 12 rookies who had signed endorsement contracts with Adidas, the apparel company announced on Thursday.

This is the largest draft class ever for Adidas and features 11 first-round picks and six lottery selections. The players have worn the Three Stripes for the majority of the season as endorsing athletes.

Related: Holmgren, Ivey among 14 rookies to sign with Nike

They join a talented roster of players signed to Adidias that includes James Harden, Candace Parker, Damian Lillard, Chiney Ogwumike, Anthony Edwards and Donovan Mitchell.

Here are the 12 rookies that signed with Adidas this season.

Nikola Jovic registers first double-digit-scoring game in G League

Jovic reached a season-high in scoring Monday on assignment in the G League in a win over the Grand Rapids Gold.

Miami Heat rookie Nikola Jovic reached a season high in scoring Monday while on assignment in the NBA G League, helping the Sioux Falls Skyforce beat the Grand Rapids Gold.

Jovic produced 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal in the 89-83 road win. He struggled to shoot, converting 4-of-19 shots, including 1-of-10 from 3-point range, in 39 minutes of action.

The 27th pick was inefficient shooting, but he was once again active on the glass and often pushed the pace on the break. He dropped a couple of nice passes to set up teammates for easy baskets.

Jovic has logged one appearance with the Heat since Nov. 25 as the team is near full strength again. With playing time at a minimum, the Heat opted to send Jovic to Sioux Falls to log extended minutes and stay fresh on the court.

The 19-year-old is averaging nine points, 9.8 rebounds and five assists in four games with the Skyforce. He has hauled in at least 10 rebounds three times and has been active on the defensive end of the floor in the early going.

Despite missing some shots early, Jovic has performed well on assignment with the Skyforce. Above all, the opportunity to play extended minutes should prove to be highly beneficial for Jovic as he transitions to the NBA.

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Heat rookie Nikola Jovic hauls in 11 rebounds on G League assignment

Jovic tied a season-high of 11 rebounds on assignment with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League.

Miami Heat rookie Nikola Jovic turned in a productive performance on assignment in the NBA G League on Saturday and helped the Sioux Falls Skyforce beat the Motor City Cruise.

Jovic recorded six points, 11 rebounds, five assists and one blocked shot in the 118-95 victory at Sanford Pentagon. He finished 2-of-9 from the field, including 1-of-3 from 3-point range, in 31 minutes of work in his third game with the Skyforce.

The 27th pick struggled to shoot in the contest but remained active on boards and tied a season-high in that category. He also dropped in a 3-pointer and finished a plus-18 on the court.

The Heat announced Jovic would play with the Skyforce for two games over the weekend versus the Cruise. He hasn’t played much over the last two weeks with the Heat back at full strength, and he had the opportunity to log extended playing time in Sioux Falls.

Jovic is averaging 7.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and one steal with the Skyforce. He has hauled in at least 10 rebounds in each of his three appearances and has also been active on the defensive end of the floor in the early going.

With much of the Heat roster back from injury, Jovic could spend more time with the Skyforce in the future. The team has found great success with its G League affiliate and looks to continue that with Jovic.

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Rookie Power Rankings: Jabari Smith Jr. breaking out of early slump

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2022-23 season.

The rookie class has had impressive moments during the first quarter of the 2022-23 season. Several players have begun to separate themselves from the draft class pack.

The group has dealt with its fair share of injuries; several first-rounders have missed time. However, the players have shown why they were high picks and have had several noteworthy performances.

To make sense of it all, we took a look at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.

Heat: Erik Spoelstra explains how Nikola Jovic has been impressive

Jovic started for the second straight game and registered a new career-high in a loss to the Wizards.

Nikola Jovic finished in double figures for the second time this season to help lead the short-handed Miami Heat on Friday against the host Washington Wizards.

Jovic produced 18 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes of work in the 107-106 overtime loss. He scored 15 points in the first half and became just the third rookie to reach that mark (Paolo Banchero, Shaedon Sharpe). He shot 4-of-10 from the field, including one 3-pointer.

The 27th pick did the majority of his work in the paint. He was successful getting to the rim and drawing contact after going 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.

Erik Spoelstra explained what he likes about Jovic afterward.

He has really good offensive instincts, not only as a passer but as a screener — how to get into open spaces, how to execute different things and then his passing and his vision. As soon as he got here, that was probably his No. 1 strength was his ability to get other guys better.

He is not afraid of the moment. He is comfortable out there. He is earning the respect of everybody in the locker room and he is earning his stripes right now. I was encouraged again by his minutes tonight.

Jovic started for the second straight game as the Heat had just seven players available to play. He started for the first time on Wednesday and recorded 13 points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal in a loss to the Toronto Raptors.

He had logged just 24 total minutes in four games prior to earning the start on Wednesday. He was used primarily in mop-up duty during those appearances and was out of the rotation with so many players ahead of him on the roster.

With Bam Adebayo (knee), Jimmy Butler (knee), Tyler Herro (ankle) and others out, the Heat have been forced to rely on Jovic. He has responded well in the early going and is happy to be starting now.

“I’m just stacking those minutes and just making sure everyone is getting the ball and getting everyone in their role,” Jovic said. “I’m really happy I’m playing with this team because I’m learning a lot. I’m really confident.”

Jovic entered the season with an uncertain role with so many players ahead of him on the depth chart. He has seemingly stayed ready for his opportunity to play and has responded with two strong performances in a time of need for the Heat.

The recent performances by Jovic have likely helped him continue to see playing time once the team returns to full strength. They liked him in the draft given his prior professional experience and that is now showing on the court.

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‘He was terrific’: Erik Spoelstra reacts to Nikola Jovic’s first start with Heat

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra was encouraged by how Jovic played in his first career start versus the Raptors.

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra on Wednesday said he was encouraged by how rookie Nikola Jovic played in his first career start versus the Toronto Raptors.

The Heat entered the contest down several players in the frontcourt, including Bam Adebayo (knee) and Omer Yurtseven (ankle). The team opted to turn to Jovic at the center position, and the 27th pick performed well in his new role.

Jovic produced a season-high 13 points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal in nearly 24 minutes of work in the 112-104 loss. He finished 4-of-8 from the field and became the youngest player in team history to start at 19 years, 160 days.

Spoelstra was encouraged by his performance.

We felt putting him in with the starters would give him the best chance to be able to complement that group, and he was terrific, particularly in that first half. He played with a lot of energy and gave us some relief baskets. He is just going to continue to get a lot better with more experience, more time and more development. I was encouraged by him stepping in there and playing as well as he did on the road.

Jovic started quickly, scoring 11 points in the first quarter. He looked ready for the opportunity to start, set good screens and made few mistakes on the court.

Jovic had logged just 24 total minutes in four games prior to earning the start on Wednesday. He was used primarily in mop-up duty during those appearances and was out of the rotation with so many players ahead of him on the roster.

With his role uncertain this season, though, Jovic stayed ready for the opportunity and was eager to get into the starting lineup for the first time against the Raptors.

I was working hard the last month. I think I was just waiting for them to call my name up. I was ready for whatever. What happened with Bam happened and I needed to step up in the starting lineup and I needed to help my team win. It was a tough loss, but I hope next time I’m going to help them more.

Though the injury to Adebayo is not considered to be serious, Jovic could see a larger role should he miss any additional time. He also likely played himself into the rotation based on how he performed in his first real game of the season.

He showed he will be ready the next time his name is called.

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Heat rookie Nikola Jovic suspended for role in altercation vs. Raptors

Caleb Martin and Nikola Jovic were suspended one game for their roles in an on-court altercation with Raptors rookie Christian Koloko.

Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin and rookie Nikola Jovic have each been suspended one game by the NBA for their roles in an on-court altercation with Toronto Raptors rookie Christian Koloko on Saturday.

Martin was issued a suspension after escalating the incident and tackling Koloko into the stands after the two battled for rebounding position. Jovic was sat down for one game after leaving the bench area and entering the altercation.

They will serve their suspensions Monday versus the Raptors.

Martin and Koloko each received technical fouls and were ejected from the game. Martin recorded eight points and five rebounds in 22 minutes prior to the incident, while Koloko had one point and two rebounds in 12 minutes of work.

Koloko was fined $15,000 by the NBA for grabbing Martin.

Martin, in three games, is averaging 6.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals, while Jovic has not yet appeared in a game with the Heat this season. Koloko is posting 1.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game for the Raptors.

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Takeaways: Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green flourish, but Alperen Sengun struggles in loss to Miami

Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green played well, but the Rockets struggled to overcome a bad night by Alperen Sengun in Monday’s loss at Miami. Here’s our look at the key takeaways.

Houston’s starting backcourt of Kevin Porter Jr. (21 points, 6 assists) and Jalen Green (25 points, 5 assists) played well Monday, but starting center Alperen Sengun struggled in his preseason return as the Miami Heat defeated the visiting Rockets, 118-110 (box score).

Sengun, who missed Friday’s win due to a dental procedure, had just 2 points and 4 rebounds on 1-of-5 shooting (20.0%) while fouling five times in only 17 minutes. His struggles helped Miami erase an early 16-point lead by the Rockets, who came out firing behind Porter and Green. The backcourt mates combined to hit 14-of-31 shots (45.2%) in 28 minutes apiece, including 8-of-17 on 3-pointers (47.1%).

Rookie forward Tari Eason continued to play well off Houston’s bench, registering 17 points and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes while making 8-of-11 shots (72.7%) from the field. Third-year forward KJ Martin continued to shine in the absence of several rotation regulars with 13 points and 4 assists in 28 minutes, all while shooting 5-of-9 overall (55.6%) and 3-of-6 on 3-pointers (50.0%).

Jabari Smith Jr. (left ankle sprain), Eric Gordon (rest), Daishen Nix (lower back soreness) and head coach Stephen Silas (health and safety protocols) were not part of Monday’s action for the Rockets, while Jae’Sean Tate left early with right ankle soreness.

With Silas missing a second straight exhibition, lead assistant John Lucas again filled in as Houston’s acting head coach.

On the other side, Caleb Martin (right knee tendinitis), Tyler Herro (right knee contusion), and Omer Yurtseven (left ankle soreness) were out injured for the Heat. Miami also chose to hold out veterans Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Kyle Lowry for rest purposes.

Among those playing, veteran wing Max Strus led Miami with 24 points in 24 minutes, including 5-of-10 on 3-pointers (50.0%). Rookie Nikola Jovic was impressive off the bench with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists, including several minutes in a direct matchup with Sengun. Miami was +24 in Jovic’s 23 minutes, best of any player.

Scroll on for postgame interviews, clips, and analysis. The Rockets (2-1) will conclude their preseason schedule on Friday at Indiana, while Miami (3-1) wraps up by hosting New Orleans on Wednesday.

Nikola Jovic skipped high school final exam to prepare for NBA

The 19-year-old still has one more exam to pass in order to graduate high school.

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra revealed on Thursday that rookie Nikola Jovic has not yet completed high school and still needs to take one final exam in order to graduate.

Jovic, who turned 19 years old in June, arrived in the United States after playing the last three seasons in Serbia. He was named the ABA League Top Prospect last season before the Heat selected him with the 27th pick in the NBA draft.

He skipped his final exam to prepare for the draft and needs to pass it to graduate. He is working to finish the requirement through Zoom calls and plans to take the exam once he has some free time, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

The revelation by Spoelstra came after the Heat completed their second preseason game, a 109-80 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Jovic recorded 10 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals in 16 minutes off of the bench.

The Heat have a veteran-heavy team with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry and others on the roster. They haven’t added many rookies recently but Jovic figures to be a big addition to the team that can step in and contribute now.

Jovic was tasked with learning a new playbook upon joining the Heat, and still must keep up with his studies. He will likely catch some grief from his teammates because of it, but it further illustrates just how talented he is to play in the NBA as, basically, a high schooler.

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